Entangled
by Pipsqueakery
Summary: The ongoing tale of the encounter between Hiei, Kurama, and a very special youkai with an intricate past. HieixOC.
1. Encounter

**ENCOUNTER**  
_Movement 1_  
  
"Hn. What boring times," Hiei spoke gently in his deep voice. Kurama laughed in reply.  
  
"If you are so terribly bored, why not go out?" Kurama suggested.  
  
"Hah, go out and do what?"  
  
"Nap in a tree, visit Yusuke-san..."  
  
"You've said enough," Hiei said in a hurry as he departed via the window. Kurama shook his head gently as he continued with his schoolwork.  
  
"Benkyou, benkyou, benkyou!" A schoolgirl chanted to her friend.  
  
"Shut up! I can't help it if I want to do well on my exams and life well when I get older, unlike YOU Fujiko-chan," her companion replied.  
  
"Ehehe, I'm joking, Arai-chan. I know your parents like for you to study hard. I just... well, you know, grades aren't the top of my list."  
  
"Obviously..." Arai said under her breath, as she smiled and started to run.  
  
"OI!" The girl named Fujiko cried as she chased after her. "BAKAAA!"  
  
_- - - OPENING ANIMATION PLAYS TO "Sayonara Bye Bye" - - -_  
  
"Arai-chaaaan!" Fujiko called out as she stopped running, leaning against a bus stop sign. "You're cruel."  
  
"Gomen gomen, I forgot that you don't like to be picked on, Fujiko-chan," Arai said gently as she strolled back to her friend.  
  
"It's not so much as that I dislike being picked on, it's... more like... ano..."  
  
"Stop yourself now, I know what you mean!" Arai exclaimed, smiling. Fujiko laughed gently as she rubbed the back of her head.  
  
Arai took a look at her wristwatch as her expression changed to that of worry. "I need to hurry Fujiko-chan! My cram school starts in ten minutes, and it's still five blocks away."  
  
"Well then, get going! If I keep walking with you, you'll end up late!"  
  
"Demo..."  
  
"But nothing! Go!"  
  
"Un...!" Arai said as she smiled, waving gently as she walked on. Fujiko shook her head softly as she turned, looking at the neighborhood for a minute.  
  
"Hmm... what peaceful times. Times like these make me happiest of all," she spoke aloud as she draped her schoolbag over her shoulder, heading towards her apartment in inner-city Tokyo.  
  
"Kisama... Kurama and his suggestions, hn. Not as if those weren't already obvious to my eyes in the first place," Hiei spoke to himself softly as he lay in his favorite tree. The sunlight that escaped through the leafy green branches shined gently on Hiei's face. He grunted and closed his eyes, hoping to catch a nap while it was still pleasant outside.  
  
His ears perked up to a gentle humming sound that was passing by his vicinity.  
  
"A youkai can't rest in peace around here," Hiei thought to himself as he looked down, looking for the source of his disturbance. His eyes fell upon a short, beautiful brunette girl with a schoolbag adorning her shoulder. His eyes grew wide for a moment.  
  
"Ie... that's impossible..." he mumbled to himself as he sat up, watching her.  
  
"Eien ni odoru, eien ni odoru..." Fujiko sang softly to herself as she strolled past Hiei's tree, oblivious to his presence in every way. Once she had walked out of his range of vision, he jumped down, his face back to its usual composure.  
  
"Hmm... that girl is a youkai? It seems unlikely, but I felt her youki, as weak as it was. Heh, looks like I may not be bored after all today," Hiei said as he set off after Fujiko.  
  
Fujiko remained ignorant of Hiei's company as she continued singing, smiling gently as she looked at the city again. She adored the sight of Tokyo, regardless of all the speculated crime and illegal activity. It was like a Catholic Girls' School compared to her previous home. She could never seem to stress just how much she loved live as a ningen.  
  
"Ahh, only one more block and I'm home...! Who would think that high school would take so much out of a girl who has seen it all?" She giggled slightly, as her head suddenly jerked up, her hair flying everywhere. Her body came to a stop as she let out a desperate breath.  
  
"Reveal yourself. I dislike being trailed by rude youkai scum," she said aloud in a deep, almost sultry tone. Hiei, from atop a building, swallowed hard. Had she discovered him? He was going to jump down, but before he could, a shadow emerged from the alley.  
  
"So you're not as dull as rumored to be, Bijin," a scratchy, low voice sounded. Fujiko laughed to herself.  
  
"Indeed you are correct. So, what is your name, youkai? You needn't tell me why you're here."  
  
"I am Suiseikage, a youkai of shadows. You best submit to me, or you will die painfully, Bijin."  
  
"So you are another sent by imouto. Don't call me 'Bijin,' for that is not my name."  
  
"I don't see why you go through such a façade!" Suiseikage exclaimed as he licked his lips. "You are a weak youkai, weaker than many of the lowest-class youkai in all of the Makai!"  
  
"That doesn't mean that I am scared of you. Do you think you're the first youkai imouto has sent after me?"  
  
"I'm not stupid. I do know that I shall be the last youkai sent after your head, though... Bijin-hime. You can deny your blood all you like, but you'll always be a cowardly youkai princess who deserves to die miserably!"  
  
"SHUT UP!" Fujiko screamed as she covered her ears. Hiei, watching all of this from the aforementioned rooftop, was trying to put the pieces together nicely.  
  
"Hahaha... you speak such big words for a pitiful woman. Die," Suiseikage revealed his inhuman-looking hands from inside his cloak, stepping forward and slicing her shoulder open in a swift movement. Fujiko cried out with pain as she dropped to her knees, looking up at him with conviction. He laughed in a condescending tone.  
  
"What's wrong, lovely? Are you scared of me, now? Is death too scary for your childish mind to comprehend?" He took his hand and stroked the side of her face, still grinning fiercely.  
  
"Perhaps you are right... I do not care..." she sighed greatly, her eyes at the ground. "Kill me, to make imouto happy...!" Fujiko yelled. He snarled.  
  
"It's no fun if you don't fight back. You are weak. Dying suits you..." Suiseikage wrapped his slender fingers around her neck, tightening his grip as he slammed her violently against the wall. Fujiko spit a little blood as she squinted hard. She closed her eyes then as she accepted fate.  
  
"This... youkai is the weakest one imouto has ever sent... but... it is not worth fighting fate," Fujiko's mind raced with thoughts.  
  
"Oi!" Fujiko and Suiseikage heard a deep, soothing voice call out. Hiei jumped down from his position on the rooftop, his eyes locked on Suiseikage. "This girl has done nothing to harm you, you piss-ant, you. You are truly a cocky bastard," Hiei spoke boldly, as always.  
  
"Don't interfere! This is none of your business. I was ordered to kill this spineless girl, and I will do it, even if it means killing another pest in the process!" Suiseikage shouted. Hiei laughed at him, giving him a taste of his own attitude.  
  
"Death will suit your ugly face much more."  
  
Suiseikage grew enraged with this comment, snarling to himself as he winced. In a flash, he released Fujiko from his icy hands and dove for Hiei's shoulder, his long black nails penetrating the flesh. Hiei flinched, looking right into his eyes with a somewhat evil smile on his face.  
  
"B... bakemono!" Suiseikage cried out, pulling his nails from within Hiei's wound. He spat at Fujiko's general direction and, without so much as a word, retreated back into the shadows.  
  
"Hn, cocky ass youkai..." Hiei muttered as he looked at the semi-conscious girl slumped against the wall. He slowly ambled over to her.  
  
"On'na. On'na!" He yelled, not receiving any response. Hiei stooped down, looking at her, checking to see if she was still alive. He extended his arm, then remembering about his wound as he looked at his left shoulder; it was covered with crimson blood. He cursed himself for letting his guard down enough to let that shadow youkai even come near him.  
  
Fujiko looked up at him, her arm pressed across her wounded shoulder. Her eyes were a deep shade of gray, hinting extreme sadness.  
  
"W... who are you? Why did you save me?" She asked gently. He looked at her for a moment.  
  
"I saved you for a reason that I do not know," he said, getting to his feet again. Her eyes followed him.  
  
"T... that answer really won't do... but I don't have a choice, I guess. Gomen nasai... for... that would upon your shoulder. It...'s entirely my fault."  
  
"Hn. You are right, it is your fault," he replied. Fujiko twitched slightly at his callous remark, then remembering he too was a youkai. She stifled a small laugh as she leaned forward in an attempt to rise.

"I wouldn't expect any less from a you—," her sentence was cut short as she tumbled right back down to the ground.  
  
"K'so..." she murmured to herself. Hiei grinned, as hearing a lady swear was a rare thing for him. She looked to him again, her eyes full of questions. Hiei could see it as he shifted his glance.  
  
"What's your name?" Fujiko asked gently.  
  
"Hiei."  
  
"Hiei... I'll make an effort to remember that," she answered in a faint tone. Hiei twitched this time, as he had spoken those same words to Kurama many years ago, upon their first meeting.  
  
"Che, what am I doing here? Helping a weak youkai, a woman nonetheless, and then standing around as if I wanted to have tea with her..." Hiei thought to himself as she looked at her helpless form.  
  
"On'na—"  
  
"It's... Fujiko, actually," she interjected. Hiei scoffed at her.  
  
"Sayonara," he muttered as he disappeared in a flash. Fujiko was left in a stupor.  
  
"Hiei... Hiei-san..." A small sigh escaped her lips. "You could've at least offered to help me home...!" Fujiko screamed out as she used the wall to get to her feet.  
  
"Bakame..." Hiei whispered to himself, atop the building once more.  
  
_- - - ENDING ANIMATION PLAYS TO "Tactics" - - -_


	2. Stalker

**STALKER  
**_Movement 2  
_  
"Thank goodness..." Fujiko uttered gently, as she staggered up to her apartment door. Blood was still dripping steadily from her shoulder, as her vision was starting to degenerate. Her dainty hand turned the doorknob, just barely, as the bells hung upon the other side clanged wildly. She fell into her living room floor with a loud thud.  
  
"Shimatta..." She swore aloud. "I wish Hiei-san... would've helped me..." Fujiko could barely lift her feet as she struggled towards her bathroom, needing her Makai remedies urgently.  
  
"If I pass out before I can make it, I'm dead..." She reached for a wall in a desperate grasp, wrapping her fingers around the doorframe of the bathroom. Finally, she made it to her medicine cabinet, pulling out a bottle of pills marked in an obviously foreign language. With her remaining amount of strength, she popped a few pills as she collapsed on her bathroom floor, letting out a painful breath.  
  
_- - - OPENING ANIMATION PLAYS TO "Kyuuketsuki Miyu" - - -_  
  
Elsewhere, Hiei was still angry at himself for being injured by such a weak youkai.  
  
"Hn! That bastard's youki was pathetic; I could've disintegrated that weakling in one shot. ...but... that stupid youkai girl. Che," he thought to himself as he waited for Kurama. "Kisama! Kurama is..."  
  
"Right here, Hiei," Kurama interjected, causing Hiei to raise a brow.  
  
"Kisama! Don't sneak up on me," Hiei blurted out. Kurama smiled attractively, as always. Then, he noticed Hiei's wounded shoulder.  
  
"Hiei, how did you get that injury?" Kurama inquired, rather curious. Hiei scoffed, again.  
  
"It was stupid... I was waiting for you, and some girl walked by..."  
  
"Oh, Hiei! My darling Hiei has finally become interested in women!" Kurama giggled. Hiei grunted.  
  
"Urusai! The girl came by, and I felt her youki... she was a youkai, but going to a ningen school. So, I followed her, but she was being hunted by another youkai, a shadow youkai, to be more exact. It looked like he was going to kill her, and he injured her pretty badly; I saved her, but that bastard managed to get my shoulder. And there you have it.  
  
"So, what happened to the girl?" Kurama asked.  
  
"How should I know?"  
  
"Hiei! You mean to tell me that you left an injured girl just... lying there, all alone?" Kurama interjected.  
  
"Yes. She'll be okay... she had the strength to complain about me not helping her, so I figured it would be useless. Besides, her youki is still present... as weak as it may me, I can pick it up now."  
  
"Heh... Hiei, you are truly heartless," Kurama laughed gently, while Hiei looked as smug as ever.  
  
"Unnn... Hiei-saaaan..." Fujiko groaned as she was starting to regain consciousness. Her still-weak body twitched from lying dormant for many, many hours. "IMOTOU!" she cried out, sitting up in a cold sweat, her body soaking in her own blood. Her eyes scanned all over her figure, disgusted.  
  
"Oh... my... I wonder how long I was out..." she looked at the clock, hardly able to tell the time. "Feh, it doesn't matter, really... I'm in no shape for school," she spoke gently, slowly standing up. "Ugh... I really need a bath."  
  
Fujiko slowly prepared herself a nice, warm bath, as she slipped out of her disgusting fuku. She pinned her hair up, and climbed in carefully.  
  
"Mmmmmm... this is just the thing I need, for my nerves, and for my wounds. She sat in a comfortable stupor for a while, as she stood up, grabbing the sprayer to wash her hair. As she lathered her hair up, she thought to herself about the events that had transpired earlier.  
  
"Hiei-san... hmm, I wonder... was it my imagination, or did I call out his name when I was waking up?" she contemplated out loud. She gently placed the sprayer back upon its hook, sighing tenderly. Her mind slowly traveled back to reality, when it dawned upon her that the youkai who had tried to take her life was still alive.  
  
"Rubina... imouto... Mama... jou-sama..." She whispered, as she stepped out of the bath, wrapping herself in a fluffy pink towel. Fujiko dropped to her knees as she was lost in her own memories. Thoughts raced through her mind, she lowered her head. "That youkai... whatever his name was... he's going to kill me. He's going to kill me, before this is all over... I should just go home, and die with some honor; there is no reason to fight, anymore. I can't help but give up...! I'm weak, I have no reason to even be living and breathing today..." She let out a soft whimper. Fujiko picked herself up, as she shuffled into her tiny bedchamber, collapsing into a comfortable sleep.  
  
Fujiko slowly opened her eyes to the bright sunlight streaming through her window.  
  
"Che... another day, jam-packed full of borrowed time." She climbed out of bed, getting ready for school. Slowly Fujiko prepared herself, brushing her hair as she gazed in the mirror.  
  
"I always look so down... but..." she grinned to herself, "no one cares, minus Arai-chan." Her gaze dropped to the floor as she saw her blood-soaked school fuku.  
  
"That's right... I guess I'll have to use another one for today," Fujiko stated aloud, waltzing over to the closet to grab one of her other spring fuku. She slipped it on, looking in the mirror again. Fujiko looked at the ground for a minute, as she looked up with a small grin on her face.  
  
"I can't shake the feeling that someone is watching me..." she announced, turning to her bedroom window; all that could be seen was a beautiful morning skyline. "I suppose all of these goings-on have me on edge," Fujiko said with a sense of finality, as she walked out the door, her bells clanging again.  
  
And so, her day back in the ningen mindset began. Amazingly enough, Fujiko managed to become a completely different person at school. At school and in her girlish life, she could act kind, sweet and gentle without serious repercussions.  
  
After a day of sitting in class, the school bell sounded at exactly 2:00. Fujiko hurried out of class to meet Arai at the entrance gate.  
  
"Fujiko-chan!" Arai called out, seeing Fujiko's figure hustle through the other kids. Fujiko smiled as she heard her friend's voice.  
  
"Araiiiii-chan!" She returned her shout with one of her own. Arai straightened her back out as she stood up, waving a bit, as Fujiko approached her.  
  
"So, wanna go somewhere this afternoon?" Arai said to Fujiko as she walked up. Fujiko looked a bit exasperated.  
  
"Just where would you have in mind, Arai-chan?" Fujiko questioned as her eyes scanned the area. There was something oddly familiar...  
  
"Eeeh I don't know! I was just curious, since it's been a while since we've gone somewhere together..." she trailed off as she noticed Fujiko wasn't listening to her. "Imadae Fujiko!"  
  
"Ne, Arai-chan...?" She asked, looking at her.  
  
"You weren't paying attention."  
  
"Oh... gomen nasai," Fujiko apologized with a light, almost nervous laugh. "I really don't feel well."  
  
"Always with the not feeling well... you just missed a day of school yesterday. You should go home and get some rest, Fujiko-chan," Arai suggested. Fujiko nodded in response.  
  
"Yes... yes that's a good idea." Fujiko waved gently as she smiled the same muted, tense smile. "Ja ne," she mumbled as she set off.  
  
"Fujiko-chan..." Arai said under her breath as she stood there. "You miss school days every now and then, and when you come back, you're so distant... it's like you're not... the same."  
  
Fujiko was almost running as she looked alarmed.  
  
"Gah! I knew I felt something that was familiar," she said aloud to herself. "This isn't that far from the place two days ago, so no wonder." Fujiko came to a neighboring junior high school as she stopped.  
  
"Here, that's impossible... their classes get out soon, as well. But still, it seems unlikely... wait." She turned around, her eyes surveying the area. They widened for a moment as they came to rest upon a tree.  
  
"There."  
  
She slowly walked over to the soaring, leafy green tree as she looked up. Fujiko could hardly suppress a giggle as she tilted down a bit, jumping up and landing on a branch.  
  
"On'na!" A shout came from a short youkai dressed in all black. Fujiko grinned a little.  
  
"Oi. I knew that I felt your youki around here...!"  
  
"Kisama! What are you, a stalker?"  
  
"No... I just... wanted to thank you for yesterday—erhm, I mean two days ago."  
  
"Is that all?"  
  
"Well, if you put it like that, I guess so. I have a question for YOU. What are you doing in a tree, next to a junior high school of all places?" Fujiko queried. Hiei grunted.  
  
"Waiting."  
  
"...for...?"  
  
"Kurama."  
  
"Kurama? Who is that?" She tilted her head a bit.  
  
"I am."  
  
Fujiko looked down, nearly losing her footing, as she saw the beautiful young man with flowing red hair.  
  
_- - - ENDING ANIMATION PLAYS TO "All My Love" - - -_


	3. Curiousity

**CURIOUSITY**  
_Movement 3_  
  
"You must be the girl who Hiei rescued two days ago," Kurama spoke in his velvety voice. Fujiko nodded, as she jumped down.  
  
"I am indeed. My name is Imadae Fujiko," she replied, smiling gently. Kurama smiled in return.  
  
"Well... you already know who I am."  
  
"Yes," she giggled gently, and then blushed deeply. "Oh! Please... don't think of me as a stalker or a psychopath, I just wanted to thank Hiei-san for saving my life."  
  
Hiei then jumped down from the tree.  
  
"I didn't save your life; I stopped a lowlife youkai."  
  
"Gomen," she uttered softly. Kurama looked at her and noticed how uncomfortable she must be feeling.  
  
"Would you be interested in coming to my house for some tea, or coffee? Whatever you'd like, really. I wish to have a few words with you, Imadae-san," Kurama extended a kind invitation. Fujiko smiled.  
  
"Of course! You're much too kind, though..." she trailed off, hearing Hiei murmur something gently. Her eye twitched a bit.  
  
"I'm leaving then Kurama," Hiei said in a low, almost pouty voice. He disappeared in a flash of black.  
  
"Please excuse him," Kurama interjected as Fujiko looked on. "He never has been a social person, and his people skills are lacking still. I'm sure he's just surprised that someone actually felt grateful for his intervention."  
  
"Yes... I understand," Fujiko replied, smiling again with the same anxiety.  
  
"Well then, shall we go?"  
  
"Certainly!" she said, smiling bright.  
  
_- - - OPENING ANIMATION PLAYS TO "I Am" - - -_  
  
"So, Imadae-san," Kurama spoke as he sipped a spot of tea, "I have a few questions I would like to ask."  
  
"Go right ahead, I don't mind," she replied as she nibbled on a coffeecake.  
  
"Hiei spoke to me two days ago of what occurred, and he told me an interesting fact. He believes that you're a youkai," Kurama said, as plain as day. Fujiko coughed, sipping a little tea.  
  
"W...what?" She uttered, in minor disbelief.  
  
"Please answer."  
  
"Well... yes."  
  
"Then, what are you doing in the Ningenkai?"  
  
"T... that's a long story, Kurama. I'd rather not talk about it. I'm not here to kill or do damage or steal, I just want to live..." her voice trailed off. "You're a youkai too, am I correct?"  
  
"Indeed."  
  
"I've heard your name, as well as Hiei's, mentioned many times before. You were a youko, a very famous thief; Hiei was also a thief in his younger life. Both of you are as formidable as they come."  
  
"Well, you're certainly not stupid," Kurama voiced. Fujiko laughed gently.  
  
"I'm still informed of such things, even if I haven't been hom—err, back to the Makai in quite some time now. But... Kurama..." She trailed off again, as she twiddled her fingers.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"How close are you and Hiei-san?" Fujiko asked, looking up with nervous eyes. Kurama chuckled.  
  
"We are friends, and that is all I can vouch for. Why do you ask?"  
  
"I was just wondering. Hiei is such an interesting guy...! As odd as that may sound to you... I really feel it's true. Like, when I asked him why he saved me two days ago, he told me that he didn't know himself."  
  
"That is indeed Hiei speaking."  
  
"Kurama-san, you're such a nice man, inviting me to have tea with you... especially when you know that I'm a youkai, and all," Fujiko spoke softly.  
  
"Well who can resist a pretty girl?" He winked at her, as he watched her light up with a red blush. They both giggled a little.  
  
"Really, Imadae-san—"  
  
"Oh, how stupid of me! You can call me Fujiko, of course."  
  
"Fine then. Fujiko, where to do attend school? Your uniform is very familiar."  
  
"Sarayashiki Junior High."  
  
"Sarayashiki? So then, do you know Urameshi Yusuke?" Kurama asked. Fujiko's expression changed slightly.  
  
"Of course, he's a famous man at our school... and other places..." she mumbled under her breath.  
  
"So then, you know about him?"  
  
"Slightly. I definitely can feel his youki when he's in the Ningenkai," she stated. Kurama thought for a second.  
  
"You seem to be a very spiritual young lady. You must be very strong," he bluffed, trying to get her to tell him more.  
  
"You're not as kind as it seems... as you know I am not. If I were a strong person, I would not be living in the Ningenkai, and Hiei-san wouldn't have needed to come to my rescue yesterday."  
  
"What exactly are you hiding then?" Kurama asked bluntly. Fujiko sighed gently.  
  
"If you insist. I feel as if I can trust you. My true name isn't Fujiko, by birth I was Bijin. I am a youkai; Hiei was not incorrect about that. I'm actually a yousei, to be more exact. Due to certain circumstances, I was an unwanted child—but, the trouble is, my birthmother is jou-sama. Secret measures were taken by moth—err, jou-sama's council, to have me removed from the entire yousei kingdom. They failed. I went to my mother: she did not believe me. I was a very little girl at the time, so, remaining in the Makai was not a pleasant option to me. I had heard tales of the Ningenkai, where the inhabitants were emotional, weak, frail peoples... so, I decided to come here and try to start over."  
  
"I see. Thank you."  
  
"For what?" she asked, a little confused.  
  
"For telling me, and cooperating. It makes things easier now."  
  
"Kurama-san..." Fujiko trailed off, looking at him.  
  
"Hai?"  
  
"Can you tell me about yourself, Hiei, and your connections with Urameshi-san and Kuwabara-san?" She asked, feeling very curious.  
  
"Yes..." he said reluctantly, "as you know, though, you cannot tell anyone. You see, we four are Reikai Tantei. I'm sure you know of the Reikai."  
  
"Naturally."  
  
"Hiei and I met each other before we even got involved with the Reikai, when we were a few years younger. It was all a big misunderstanding, as we both thought we were the enemy. Then, Hiei called upon me to help him steal the Reikai treasures, and then we ran into Yusuke. It's quite a long story, so I suppose I'll just say that from then on, it was history."  
  
"Subarashii!" she exclaimed. "I had no idea that they were Reikai Tantei, even though I knew they had some unnatural connection with that kind of thing...! Wow."  
  
"Heh, it's cute to see you so surprised," Kurama said in a calm tone. Fujiko blushed as she looked down.  
  
"Kurama-san..." Fujiko began again. "You know Hiei-san very well; I can feel it. He was waiting for you today, even... when he saved me, it was like..." she was struggling with her words. "I don't know what to think about him... he's so confusing...! But... really, when he saved me, he came close to me... and when I felt his youki, it made me warm. I had never felt so warm in my entire life," she stammered. Kurama gave her a funny look.  
  
"Hiei lives for fighting, Fujiko-san. As kind and polite as you are, you could never warm Hiei's heart. No one could, he's been hardened by his past," he replied to her. She looked a little blank, but she expected every word of it.  
  
"I know... I could tell by the way he reacted two days ago, and then today... I just... I—"  
  
"Kurama! Is that weird girl gone yet?" Hiei called as he jumped into the window, failing to see Fujiko. Hiei's eyes then rested upon her, as she returned the gaze, her eyes piercing his own. He looked away.  
  
"Hiei," Kurama uttered softly.  
  
"Kurama-san, I apologize for taking up your afternoon! I didn't realize how long we truly had talked. Thank you very much," she stood up, bowing slightly as she smiled. "Have a nice afternoon, you two...!" Fujiko blurted out as she exited Kurama's household in a hurry. Kurama and Hiei looked on.  
  
"I think you hurt her feelings, Hiei," Kurama said gently.  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Weird girl...? Unbearable! Just because I ran into him this afternoon doesn't mean I'm weird..." Fujiko spoke to herself, quite angry at Hiei's words. She spotted a bench and sat down with a heavy sigh. Her eyes followed the blossoms falling off the trees. She picked up a few with her nails, throwing then aside.  
  
"Even only talking to him twice, I get the vibe that he's a tough guy... also known as a real jerk...! Maybe I am weird. More like stupid."  
  
"Baka on'na," Hiei said to Kurama. Kurama replied with a sigh.  
  
"Actually, she's very intelligent, kind and polite.  
  
"She probably has an ulterior motive of some sort," Hiei responded.  
  
"Again, no. She explained to me the reason why she remains in the Ningenkai, and I can understand why she does."  
  
"So she was a youkai? Heh, I never miss."  
  
"Obviously you just did earlier," Kurama retorted. Hiei grunted.  
  
"In any case, Fujiko-san has no malicious intentions. She just wants to live in peace."  
  
"Fujiko-...san?"  
  
"The 'baka on'na' does have a name, you know."  
  
"Well be sure to make up your mind as to which one it truly is," Hiei spoke with a sense of finality.  
  
Fujiko sat on the bench, catching sakura, as she looked up at the sky.  
  
_- - - ENDING ANIMATION PLAYS TO "Sorezore no EREJII" - - -_


	4. Sadness

**SADNESS**  
_Movement 4_  
  
"I wonder... will I ever speak to Hiei-san and Kurama-san again? My heart feels heavy now. I felt as if I could be comfortable around Kurama-san; it was almost like the warmth I felt surrounding Hiei-san. It was nice to know of youkai who also lived in the Ningenkai, now I don't feel quite as alone," Fujiko spoke, sighing gently. "I do hope that I see them again..." She snatched a sakura petal out of the wind, and grasped it tightly.  
  
_- - - OPENING ANIMATION PLAYS TO "Scarlet II" - - -_  
  
"Perhaps you should check on the girl," Kurama suggested. Hiei grunted again.  
  
"Honestly, why should I, Kurama?"  
  
"Because she may be killed, and you wouldn't want that now, would you?" Kurama grinned. "Plus, that rogue youkai is still on the loose. Reikai will be furious if we do not do something about it."  
  
"Fine then," Hiei replied as his Jagan flushed red under his bandana. An image of Fujiko sitting alone on the bench catching sakura came to him, as he got a fairly confused look on his face.  
  
_"What beauty... what freedom... the ability to flutter about without restrictions. You poor things, I'm restricting your freedom, trying to catch your magnificence... I'm just as guilty as everyone else. God, what a peaceful feeling... it's as if I am the only soul on this earth... just... yet why do I feel so miserable at this moment? ...Hiei spoke badly of me... perhaps I AM just a stupid woman."_  
  
At that moment, Hiei blinked hard.  
  
"Well Hiei?" Kurama pressured. Hiei looked at him with the usual blank expression.  
  
"She is just fine," he replied softly.  
  
_"Kisama! You... again?!"_  
  
Hiei flinched as he listened fixedly. The moment he heard Fujiko scream, he stopped peering into her thoughts.  
  
"She's being attacked, again, by that same pansy youkai," Hiei announced. Kurama looked at him, and proceeded to stand up. The two nodded at one another.  
  
"You knew I would come back," the shadow youkai Suiseikage spoke. Fujiko looked at him with the same conviction.  
  
"Someone is full of himself... attacking me while it's only twilight," she said between clenched teeth. He only laughed at her.  
  
"No one would help you, even now! I saw that runt who saved you before walk off and leave you to bleed to death. Luck was smiling upon your beautiful face that day—but not today, my dear."  
  
Fujiko's eyes were adverted to the ground, as the comments of this cocky youkai hit home: Had the entire encounter with Hiei been nothing but luck? Her mind was slightly numb.  
  
Suiseikage walked up to Fujiko and noticed her vacant expression, and realized that he had indeed struck a cord in her. He wrapped his arms around her slender body, grasping her backside firmly. Fujiko's eyes narrowed slightly, but she was too afraid at this point to move. He ran his long fingers over her soft cheek, trailing upward with his fingernails.  
  
"Hiei! Stop!" Kurama called out as the two approached Fujiko's location. His eyes caught sight of the shadow youkai's embrace of the young girl, and apparently, Hiei did as well.  
  
"That bastard...!" he cursed under his breath.  
  
"Wait for a moment."  
  
"But why? She won't defend herself," Hiei argued. Kurama looked grave.  
  
"We shall see."  
  
"P... please stop..." Fujiko whispered. Suiseikage grinned with delight as he felt her body struggling against his own.  
  
"I could do with you whatever I wanted, hime. I could rape your delicate little body until you begged for me to kill you..." his lips grazed her cheek as she shuddered. "Or... I could brutally murder you and dismember your beautiful corpse..." Suiseikage licked her ear as she wanted to retch.  
  
"Stop... stop now..." she protested again, a little louder. His pleasure only intensified.  
  
"I could even find your pathetic, runty youkai lover and kill him; too... wouldn't that be interesting, hime?"  
  
From around the corner, Hiei grimaced at this comment, as he knew it was directed straight at him.  
  
"Kurama..." Hiei whispered in a gruff, angry tone. Kurama shook his head.  
  
Fujiko's boiling point was almost struck.  
  
"Oh, wait... the youkai isn't your lover, is he? Remember, he left you to die only two days ago... I was there, I heard you scream out and chastise him. You're a little harlot, falling in love with the first man she sees, aren't you? Mmmmmm... trashy girl..." Suiseikage kissed Fujiko, forcing his tongue in her mouth as she grunted in protest. She struggled frantically to free herself of his grasp as his nails dug into her waist. She gasped heavily when she realized that he was going to kill her, like this. He pulled away from the kiss, keeping his lips pressed against hers.  
  
"Die, like the fragile, helpless thing you are..."  
  
"STOP IT!" Fujiko cried out as she slapped him hard across the face, drawing a tiny bit of blood, even. She panted heavily as she backed up.  
  
"I... may be weak, yes! I may be a stupid, whimsical girl, YES! I won't let an asshole like you kill me, taking advantage of me in s...such a way! AND NEVER SPEAK OF HIEI-SAN THAT WAY!" she screamed with severe intensity. Kurama watched her movements and studied her actions, as Hiei looked on in shock.  
  
"That runt is indeed your soft spot. No matter, he cannot save you now, even if you try and defend his name..." Suiseikage exclaimed, and within a flash, she was in his grasp again. He laughed sadistically at her efforts.  
  
"This will be your death, and you shall return to the yousei kingdom, fair princess..." his nails dug into her flesh, puncturing her skin as she winced. His laughing was the last thing she heard as she slipped off into a peaceful unconsciousness...  
  
"Hiei... come on, now is our moment," Kurama announced as he withdrew a rose from his hair. Hiei nodded softly.  
  
"That's the way to go, hime-sama... just slip into the arms of death. Be embraced by it, as well!" Suiseikage laughed, as Fujiko's blood showered his hands. Suddenly, from behind, he was struck by an immense force. He dropped Fujiko's profusely bleeding body as he turned to see Hiei and Kurama.  
  
"Omai-tachi!" The shadow demon yelled in frustration. "Why do you keep trailing this pathetic girl?!"  
  
"It's not so much as who the girl is; it's more like we're trailing a worthless youkai who would kill innocent women for sick pleasure," Hiei announced. Suiseikage flinched as he backed up a few steps.  
  
"I... I'll kill you all...!" He screamed out in a panic, as he turned and ran off into the sunset. Kurama created a rose whip from the earlier rose as he tensed up.  
  
"I'll go after him. You see if Fujiko-san is alive! Take care of her!" Kurama cried out as he ran off after the fleeing youkai. Hiei looked after him for a moment, as he then turned to see Fujiko.  
  
"Hn," he mumbled, walking over to her. He knelt down, checking for a pulse. Luckily, she was still alive, but her heartbeat wasn't very strong. "She's lost quite a bit of blood in the last few days," Hiei said aloud. He heard a smug laugh come from her body.  
  
"I...t's nothing..." Fujiko whispered, trying to move. Hiei's eyes scanned her whole body.  
  
"Be silent, and don't be cocky in this kind of situation," he replied to her. She looked at up at him, her eyes changing from a sharp glance to an almost tender gaze.  
  
"We shall wait for Kurama to return, and then he can help mend your wounds," Hiei announced, looking away from her.  
  
"T...thank you," Fujiko whispered gently. Hiei's eyes came upon her again as he gave her a faint grin.  
  
"No need to thank me, Kurama is honestly the one who convinced me to check on you," Hiei revealed. Fujiko felt a bit disappointed, but nonetheless, she was still happy that Hiei was, once again, her savior.  
  
"I'll... be sure to repay you two... somehow..." she said, her voice still faint like the breeze.  
  
"Again, like I said, there is no need. Now just be quiet, you don't want to die from losing too much blood."  
  
"I won't die, not now, not when Fate has brought me to this point."  
  
Hiei glanced at her again, and quickly turned away. Fujiko stared at his back as her eyes closed softly. His warm aura made her feel at peace, almost peaceful enough to die. Like she said though, she could never die now. Fate was being too kind to her at this moment.  
  
"You have a pretty youki..." Fujiko mumbled in a half-conscious state. Hiei turned, a bit startled by her, and saw that her eyes were closed. He stooped once more to check if she was alive.  
  
"Her heartbeat is slowing down... Kurama, if you don't want this girl to die, you best hurry," he said aloud to himself. His eyes examined the wounded girl's body as he thought a bit. His hand extended as he attempted to examine her injury.  
  
"Hiei!"  
  
His ears perked up. It was Kurama.  
  
"Finally," he mumbled under his breath.  
  
"Hiei! The shadow youkai escaped. It's almost pitch black, and to be honest, he got out of my sights and from there on it was like blind guessing. So, how is she?" Kurama said, panting a bit.  
  
"She's injured and losing blood quickly. Her wounds were not quite healed from her last attack. Her heartbeat has slowed down a bit," Hiei announced the diagnosis.  
  
"Please..."  
  
The two heard a soft voice speak out. It was Fujiko.  
  
"Please... take me back to my apartment... I have remedies there for all... sorts of injuries... how do you thi... ink... I've stayed alive as long as I have?" she pleaded with them. Kurama looked to Hiei.  
  
"I suppose I'll comply. Hiei, pick her up, gently," Kurama instructed.  
  
"Why me?" Hiei protested in response.  
  
"Because I'm tired from chasing that demon."  
  
"Che, fine," he grumbled as he smoothly lifted Fujiko up on his back. "You're doing my wash, though, because she's bleeding all over me."  
  
Kurama laughed gently, as he grinned.  
  
"Of course. Now, Fujiko-san, please tell us where you live."  
  
She lifted her head up slightly. "Only about... 3 blocks away from here... in the Tsu...kiakari Apartment complex... in a...partment number 439..."  
  
"Yes. Come along Hiei," Kurama directed in a firm, beautiful tone. Hiei followed alongside Kurama, as Fujiko slept on Hiei's back. She smiled gently in her cataleptic state.  
  
"You have a pretty aura..."  
  
_- - - ENDING ANIMATION PLAYS TO "It's For You" - - -_


	5. Amity

**AMITY**  
_Movement 5_

The bells attached the Fujiko's doorknob rang ferociously.

"So, this is your home?" Hiei asked, looking around. Kurama flipped on a light switch.

"Obviously..." she replied, in a cynical way. Hiei growled gently.

"Fujiko-san, where are you medicines?" Kurama asked, not wanting to waste anymore of Fujiko's life. She motioned to the washroom gently. Kurama nodded in response as he walked into the washroom, examining what exactly she had hidden away.

"My... she has enough drugs to overdose a youkai in here..." he observed. Kurama rummaged through her cabinets a bit and managed to find some gauze. He also picked up a small vial marked 'Cleanser' for her wounds as well.

"Hiei, please bring her into her bedroom," Kurama instructed once more. Hiei obeyed, carrying her into her bedroom and gently laying her down on her stomach. By this time, she was slipping into an unconscious state, but holding on to her consciousness fiercely. If she hated one thing, it would be passing out.

"Okay. Hiei, please stay nearby incase I need you. Don't worry; it won't be very long, now go... I need to undress her," Kurama announced. Hiei's face dropped.

"Kisama! Just what are you planning on doing!" Hiei yelled. Kurama shushed him.

"Quiet! I have to make sure I cleanse and mend all of her wounds," he said with a grin. Hiei sweatdropped big time.

"Che..." Hiei interjected as he slammed the door to her bedroom.

_

* * *

_

Kurama slipped the top of her fuku off her head gently, as he was met with an elegant surprise.

"My... she is indeed a yousei," he said to himself. Sprouting from her back were beautiful, glittery wings. Kurama leaned in a bit as he gently felt her lovely extensions. "It's like silk..."

"OI! Kurama!" Hiei yelled as he barged in, having caught glimpse of Kurama stroking her wings. "This isn't some fairy porno! Tend to her wounds already!"

Kurama laughed vigorously.

"Yes yes, I suppose you are right," he said in agreement as he began to cleanse her wounds. Fujiko groaned as she was still faintly cognizant.

"Ssshh now, this shall sting a bit, but at least you won't die," Kurama smiled at her reassuringly. He gently dabbed her wounds, taping them up shortly afterwards. Hiei observed this process, and was somewhat shocked by the amount of scars on her body. Nonetheless, she was still a beautiful creature.

Kurama attempted to turn Fujiko over onto her back, but she protested with all the energy she had left in her body. He looked at her face and noticed she was red with embarrassment.

"Hiei, will you go grab me a drink, please?"

"Temee! Do I look like your slave?" Hiei retorted, as he walked out of her bedchamber towards the kitchen. Kurama winked gently at Fujiko as she relaxed, allowing him to mend her wounds once more.

"You're shy around Hiei... how cute," he said in a low tone to her. She snickered a bit, gently though. Kurama looked her over once, and nodded.

"I believe you're all mended," he announced. Fujiko sat up, flexing her arms a bit. She groaned again as her body as incredibly stiff.

"Great... I'm already injured again. This is terrible," she announced, bowing her head. Kurama looked at her for a minute.

"You... stood up to that shadow youkai, though. I noticed the way you got angry whenever he insulted Hiei and ridiculed your relationship with him. You have a fighting spirit, although it is just a tiny spark," Kurama told her. Fujiko looked up at him with large, childish eyes that told of slight awkwardness.

Outside the room listening, standing against the wall, was Hiei.

"Naturally, if I get angry my will to fight kicks in... but, I just don't have the will to fight!" she protested.

"You don't want to; there is a difference, you know," Kurama replied. Fujiko started to say something, but his comment silenced her.

"You just... need to always wear a strong fighting spirit," he concluded. She looked at him, her eyes weighed down with sadness.

"I know," she whispered, looking at the floor. "You're such a sharp guy, Kurama-san." He smiled gently in her direction.

At that moment, Hiei entered the room again. His eyes laid on Kurama for a moment, as he announced: "I already drank it." Naturally, it was a fib.

Fujiko and Kurama giggled.

"That's... perfectly fine Hiei," Kurama said, looking over at Fujiko. He cleared his throat.

Fujiko smiled gently at Hiei, but then she realized that she still had no top on. Her face lit up red as she grabbed for a pillow, squeaking once.

"G... gomen..." she hid her face behind the pillow as well. Kurama chuckled tenderly as Hiei kind of looked away, not knowing what to think.

"Oh God, Kurama-san, how rude of me! Thank you so much for taking care of me," Fujiko exclaimed. "And Hiei-san... I'm sorry for getting blood all over your cloak," she added. Hiei grunted a little as a sign of acceptance. Fujiko smiled gently. "I could wash it out for you, if you'd like. It'd be the least I could do."

"You should just rest," he replied.

"Oh, please!" she pleaded softly. He removed it with one swipe of his hand and dropped it in front of her. She smiled at him.

"If you'll please excuse me for just a moment," she said politely as she took Hiei's cloak, using it as cover for her chest. Fujiko walked past the both of them, smiling contentedly, as she closed the bathroom door. Kurama and Hiei looked at each other.

"So are you going to leave?" Hiei asked. Kurama shrugged his shoulders a bit.

"I do not know. If she wants my company, I'd stay, of course. I didn't have any plans for this evening except schoolwork and that can wait," he replied. Hiei studied his face.

"I'll be leaving once she cleans my cloak," Hiei announced. Kurama smiled at him.

"Fujiko-san is a nice girl, ne, Hiei?"

"Why would you ask me such a question?"

"Because I know that you're aware of it."

"Hn."

Inside the washroom, Fujiko was scrubbing Hiei's cloak in the sink. She shivered a bit from the coldness of the water.

"Aie... this feels so nice..." she smiled to herself. "I'm doing Hiei's laundry; if you don't think about the circumstances, it's a sweet thing. Maybe I'm just stupid," she giggled.

Kurama and Hiei heard a soft giggle from inside the bathroom as they looked at each other again.

"How sweet," Kurama announced in a placid tone. "She must be thinking about someone special." He giggled a bit as he glanced towards Hiei.

"Che! Don't ridicule me," Hiei said in a grumpy tone. Kurama sighed in an unpromising tone. The doorknob of the bathroom turned, as Fujiko's eyes peeked out.

"Hiei-san, your cloak should be dry in a little while..." she announced, coming out with her back to the men, hiding her chest. "I apologize for being so blatant," Fujiko whispered as she bent in front of her clothes dresser.

"Don't," Kurama interjected. "We'll wait for you in the living room, Fujiko-san." Hiei nodded at Kurama, and the two made their way into Fujiko's living room. She let out a huge sigh, feeling extremely relieved.

"What am I doing?" she asked herself, as she fastened on a backless bra; anything more would ruin her beautiful wings and that was absolutely out of the question. She slipped out of what was left of her skirt and tossed it aside, rummaging through her drawers for a decent outfit.

"Kurama..." Hiei began. "I still don't see why we're staying."

"She may want to speak to us about what happened, and I wanted to give her a fair chance," he replied. "Fujiko wants to tell us something, I can feel it in her actions."

"Didn't you say she already told you about her past though?"

"Bits and pieces. She was mighty vague even then," Kurama speculated. "I just don't—"

"Sorry to keep you boys waiting," Fujiko interrupted as she emerged from her bedroom. Hiei and Kurama turned to see her.

"That's perfectly fine," Kurama replied, examining her change of clothing. It was as if she was a different girl now; clad in cloth shorts, a loose fitting jersey, and a pair ofsilverarmbands. Fujiko was quite a cute girl.

"Would you like a snack? I have a cake in the fridge that I was saving for company," she requested. Hiei's eyes lit up.

"Cake? Isn't that the sweet gooey stuff we had before, Kurama?" Hiei asked, his voice interested. Kurama nodded softly as she tried not to laugh. Fujiko smiled brightly.

"I'll go and get it then," Fujiko announced in a happy tone.

"And I'll help you," Kurama added. The two walked off into the kitchen, leaving Hiei to his own devices. His eyes danced around the room, observing everything in sight.

"She has a really tiny place to live..." Hiei thought to himself as he sat on her extremely cushy couch. His body sank in a bit as he groaned. "It's nothing like Kurama's room. The only thing that's the same is the scent of flowers."

"Hiei-saaaan..." Fujiko called in a sing-song tone. She returned to the room with a small plate holding a moderately-sized slice of cake and a white mug. He sat up a bit as she placed his snack on the coffee table.

"Here you are," she said with a smile. "Cake and cocoa. Kurama told me that you liked cocoa." Hiei's eyes traced up to Fujiko, to Kurama, and then back to Fujiko's smiling expression.


End file.
